3D Pointing Devices with Orientation Compensation and Improved Usability

• US 20120075183A1
• Filed: 11/28/2011
• Published: 03/29/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DRNC Holdings, Inc. (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hillcrest Laboratories Incorporated (CEVA Incorporated)
• Inventors: Liberty, Matthew G.
• Granted Patent: US 8,629,836 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/158
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/017 Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/033 Pointing devices displaced or positioned by the user , e.g. mice, trackballs, pens or joysticks; Accessories therefor digitisers characterised by the transducing means G06F3/041
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0346 with detection of the device orientation or free movement in a 3D space, e.g. 3D mice, 6-DOF [six degrees of freedom] pointers using gyroscopes, accelerometers or tilt-sensors
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0383 Signal control means within the pointing device
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42204 User interfaces specially adapted for controlling a client device through a remote control device; Remote control devices therefor constructive details of casings for the remote control device H01H9/0235; user interfaces for controlling a tuning device of a television receiver through a remote control H03J9/00; remote control of peripheral devices connected to a television receiver through the remote control device of the television receiver H04B1/205
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42206 characterized by hardware details
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42222 Additional components integrated in the remote control device, e.g. timer, speaker, sensors for detecting position, direction or movement of the remote control, microphone or battery charging device

Abstract

Systems and methods according to the present invention describe 3D pointing devices which enhance usability by transforming sensed motion data from a first frame of reference (e.g., the body of the 3D pointing device) into a second frame of reference (e.g., a user'"'"'s frame of reference). One exemplary embodiment of the present invention removes effects associated with a tilt orientation in which the 3D pointing device is held by a user.

Claims

1. A method for using a free space pointing device comprising the steps of:

detecting movement of said free space pointing device using an accelerometer and at least one other sensor;

determining an orientation, in which said free space pointing device is held, based on an output of said accelerometer; and

compensating said at least one other sensor'"'"'s detected movement based on said determined orientation by performing a two-dimensional rotational transform on said at least one other sensor'"'"'s detected movement to generate an output which is substantially independent of a tilt of said free space pointing device with reference to a predetermined axis.

2. A handheld device comprising:

a sensor configured to generate a first output associated with motion of said handheld device;

an accelerometer configured to detect acceleration of said handheld device and outputting at least one second output; and

a processing unit configured to receive and process said first output from said sensor and said at least one second output from said accelerometer,

said process including;

determining an orientation in which said handheld device is held using said at least one second output, and

compensating said first output based on said determined orientation by performing a two-dimensional rotational transform on said first output to generate an output which is substantially independent of a tilt of said handheld device with reference to a predetermined axis.

3. The handheld device of claim 2, wherein said sensor is a camera.

4. The handheld device of claim 2, wherein said sensor is a rotational sensor.

5. The handheld device of claim 2, wherein said sensor is a magnetometer.

6. The handheld device of claim 2, wherein said sensor is an optical sensor.

7. The handheld device of claim 2, wherein said accelerometer is a multi-axis accelerometer and wherein said at least one second output includes a value y generated by said multi-axis accelerometer associated with acceleration of said handheld device in a y-axis direction and a value z generated by said multi-axis accelerometer associated with acceleration of said handheld device in a z-axis direction.

8. The handheld device of claim 7, wherein said multi-axis accelerometer is a 3-axis accelerometer.

9. The handheld device of claim 2, wherein said first output is generated at a sampling rate of 200 samples/second.

10. The handheld device of claim 2, further comprising:

a wireless transceiver for receiving data from said processing unit and wirelessly transmitting said data.

11. The handheld device of claim 10, wherein said wireless transceiver is a Bluetooth®

transceiver.

12. The handheld device of claim 2, further comprising:

a plurality of buttons disposed on a housing of said handheld device; and

at least one LED disposed on said housing.

13. The handheld device of claim 2, wherein said first output includes position data values.

14. The handheld device of claim 2, wherein said processing performs said two dimensional rotational transform on detected translational motion of said handheld device.

15. The handheld device of claim 2, wherein said processing performs said two dimensional rotational transform on detected rotational motion of said handheld device.

16. The handheld device of claim 2, wherein said processing performs said two dimensional rotational transform on both detected translational motion and detected rotational motion of said handheld device.

17. The handheld device of claim 2, wherein said handheld device is a 3D pointing device.